10 Things We Learned From CES 2016 About Future Tech

CES 2016 was an event to remember, as several trends were revealed and the products showcased were, in many cases, quite impressive.

The industry loves wearables, and so a countless number of them were strewn across the CES showroom floor, with Misfit, Fitbit, Jawbone and others showcasing devices. Although there has been some debate among the viability of wearables, it doesn’t seem to be dissuading companies from investing heavily in the market.

Virtual reality has earned its spot as a top-notch technology. Headsets were all over the place at CES, and Facebook’s Oculus made a splash by announcing preorders during the event. Analysts say 2016 will be the year of virtual reality, and if CES is to be our guide, they are right.

Many non-tech companies were at CES announcing partnerships. ESPN and Red Bull, for example, announced deals with Intel. In addition, several carmakers were at CES, as were health researchers and other companies that traditionally have not taken up space at the show. Tech is slowly but surely finding its way into other industries.

Every company clearly wants to get behind the Internet of things. From Samsung’s smart refrigerators to Whirlpool’s integration of Amazon Dash to Intel’s keynote on the topic, it’s clear that every major company wants to have a role in the Internet of things. There should be no doubt now that devices will only get smarter in 2016.

Faraday Future was one of the highlights at CES 2016, showing off a concept car that looks like the Batmobile. The secretive carmaker is gunning for Tesla, promising to produce an all-electric car in the coming years. Whether it will turn out to be a winner, like Tesla, or a failure, like Fisker, remains to be seen.

Drones are another major growth area for the technology industry. One of the more interesting drones seen at CES was from a company named Ehang that showed off a self-driving drone, called the 184. Better yet, a person can ride in it while it’s flying around town. Parrot was another standout, showcasing a drone users can throw into the air and control while it’s in-flight.

Technology is clearly becoming an important component in health. And it wasn’t just fitness trackers that made an impression at CES; companies also talked about how smartphones and tablets can be used to track a person’s health. What’s more, several startups unveiled health devices that connect to a mobile app and provide crucial information to patients and doctors.

The fun new technologies may have received the most attention at CES, but that doesn’t mean the old standbys weren’t at the show. Indeed, there were a slew of computers, computer accessories, monitors and televisions on display. They may not be the most exciting technologies, but they’re still critical to the average consumer’s life.

Off-the-wall ideas were everywhere at CES. There was an eye massager that uses water, along with anti-aging masks and even a suit to help people understand what it’s like to be old. There are some true innovators in the world, and many showcased their innovations at CES.

Lest anyone believe otherwise, CES is still the marquee event for the technology industry. Over the last several years, questions have surfaced over whether CES has lost its luster. But with so many big announcements and unveilings at this year’s show, it looks like CES will remain the industry’s most important event for the foreseeable future.